Ball detent pipe coupling or the like



Oct. 5, 1954 P. c. HOLTE 7 2,690,918

BALL DETENT PIPE COUPLING OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheetl V awrs Q IQ Ea k 6- s'o/e ,4 a4 5% as as E6 '8 PaaZ 6.110280 Oct. 5,1954 P. c. HOLTE 2,690,913

BALL DETENT PIPE COUPLING OR THE LIKE Filed D60. 7, 1953 v 2Sheets-Sheet 2 y IIIIIIIIII I,

Iaweazfiow: I PM 0. Haifa,

mg 01 'i'oflizeg Patented Get. 5, 1354 OFFICE BALL DETENT PIPE COUPLINGOR THE LIKE Application December 7, 1953, Serial No. 396,499

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to couplings for use in securely interconnectingelements and adapted to be quickly and easily released to enable suchelements to be separated. The present application is a continuation ofmy co-pending application, Serial No. 215,958, filed March 16, 1951, nowabandoned.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 167,- 765, filed June 13, 1950,now Patent 2,667,371, issued January 26, 1954, I have shown a couplingwhich is well adapted to a wide variety of uses, of whichinterconnecting conduit sections are particularly noteworthy, andconsists of first and second tubular members. The first member has ahead dimensioned to fit freely within the mouth of the second member andhas an annular groove. A sleeve, which includes an annular lockingflange, is resiliently connected to the first member to slide rearwardlyfrom a position in which its locking flange is operative. The secondmember has a plurality of locking elements movable from a first positionin which they are spaced apart to receive the head into a secondposition in which they are entrant of the annular groove of the head.When the locking elements enter that groove and the locking flange is inits operative position, the locking flange holds the locking elementssecurely against movement into their first position to effect a securecoupling between the members while enabling them to be easily the secondmember and in their first position, the i locking members are exposed tobe engaged by the locking flange. Thus, as the first and second membersare pushed together, the sleeve is readily forced rearwardly until thelocking members may enter the annular head groove to enable theresilient connection between the sleeve and the first member to beeffective to seat the locking members in that groove and to return thelocking flange to its operative position in which the locking membersare held seated in the head groove. While the first and second membersmay be coupled tightly together simply by pushing them together, theycan not be pulled apart until the sleeve is manually retracted toposition the locking flange inoperatively.

It is essential that the first member be not held by its locking flangein pushing the members together to interconnect them as, in that event,the locking flange is prevented from yielding, on its engagement withthe locking elements, to enable the head to suitably enter the secondmember.

The principal objective of this invention is, accordingly, to provideoperating means for such a coupling which will provide a hand grip foruse in retracting the locking flange from its operative position andwhich may also be employed when pushing the members together, withoutpreventing the necessary rearward movement of the locking flange.

In accordance with my present invention, I accomplish that result byproviding a coupling comprising a first member including a head having arecess between its ends and a second member including an annular portiondimensioned to receive said head within it. Control means for thecoupling are connected to the first member for axial movement relativethereto and include an inner sleeve constituting a locking flangedimensioned to receive the annular portion of the second member withinit, an outer sleeve and a resilient connection with the first memberyieldably maintaining the locking flange in an operative position andthe outer sleeve in a first position. A locking element is carried bythe annular portion to be wedged into and held from a recess enteringposition by the head as it enters therein and, in its inoperativeposition, it is disposed to engage with said inner sleeve to force itrearwardly against the action of the resilient connection, as the headis inserted, until the locking element may enter the head recess. Theresilient connection is then effective to drive the locking flange intoits operative position. I provide means between the sleeves operative toconnect them as a unit when the outer sleeve is moved rearwardly fromits first position to uncouple the members and enabling the lockingflange to be moved from its locking position independently of the outersleeve when held in its first position as the members are pushedtogether.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown, as an illustrativeembodiment of my invention, a pipe coupling made in accordancetherewith, showing these and other of its novel features and advantages.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a pipe coupling in accordance withmy invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the rearward movement of the outersleeve to retract the locking flange.

Fig. 3 is another similar view illustrating the interconnection of thmembers with the outer sleeve held against rearward movement as themembers are pushed together.

Fig. 4 is a section along the lines 44 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a modification of my invention.

In the drawings, I have indicated generally at I and" II. tubularmembers as'illustrative of two parts of'a conduit or a conduit and'atank but obviously the members I0 and I I may be any two parts which areto be securely coupled to gether and easily and quickly released.

I provide the member ID with a head I2 dimensioned to fit freely withinthe annular portion I3 of the member II and having-a recessin the formof an annular groove I4 and aninwardly tapering extremity I5 tofacilitate its entrance into the annular portion I3. As the couplingshown in the drawings is for fluid tight uses, I have shown theannularcportion I3 as being recessed to receive-the: seal. I6 whichisshown as beingnof V-sectionand disposed to;be engaged andlcompressedbythesheadr extremity I5. The seal! I6 iswpreferablyzof the type thatexpands iniresponse to the pressure of the fluidpassing through thecoupling,

Ihave; indicated generally: at- I! the coupling controhmea-ns.Intheembodimentofs my inventionlqshoivnoin-Figs. -1.-4-, thecontrol-means IT consists of a inner sleeve I8 and an-outer-sleeve I9.Theouterisleeve -I-9 const-itutes a hand grip and-at its rear end: is:of reduced diameter to restablisha shoulder '21 outwardly of the sleeve.Iq8randendvwall. 2,2 engageable with the stop-23 which .I. haveshown-asthreaded on: the member imandwhichrhas a stop :Zmadjacent its'head I2.I: provide-the inner sleeve: l"8"Wlth'12L slide establishinganinnershoulden-ZE and-anouter shoulder ZG -and whichservestoslidablysupport the outersleevel-S.Thereartend-of:thisinner-sleeve -I 81' is .dimensioned-tdfitwithin-thepart .29 ofthe sleeve Id-and .-toi -be=slidably supported .bythe stop .23. -Between -the shoulder 25: and" thestop 24 is a;firstaspringd-Lwhile asecondspring zfl zisseated against the shouldenliiand theqshoulder H of the outer sleeve I9.- Theresilientconnectionbetween the-control means I I: and themember I0 is'operative to 'yieldably maintain the inner sleeve 1 8- in. itsoperativeposition and. the outer sleeve I9 in its forward or firstposition.

At 2 9, I'have-indicated-locking "elements-which mayaconveniently-beballs mounted in tapered bores-30. in theannularportion 1-3 of themember ,I-Irtonenable,the-elements-.2;9 to'havean inner position,.-seeFig. .1-, inwhich they/may enter the groove M and are-exposed to-beengaged by-the head-I2 .as-.it is. enteredintothe annular portion I3.When thus .engaged; they are. forcedoutwardly into. a. position inv.which-. they are partly exposed exteriorly of the. annular portion.I3.

The inner sleeve I8 constitutes a lockingfiange and is dimensioned so.that when the elements '29 have entered the groove I4 and the lockingflange I3 is in its operative position, the elements '29- are'therebyheld seated in the groove 14. When, however, the elements'2'9 are intheir outer position, see Fig. 3, they are exposed-to engage with theextremity of the locking-flange I8. In the embodiments: of my inventionshown in the drawings, the elements :29 are loosel'y held inplace by aretainer SI- which I'have shown as threadedto the 'annularportion I3 anddimensioned to enter the annular space between the sleeves I8.1and' I9.

The outer sleevelil constitutes the handcgrip ,4 and in order that it isoperative to retract the locking flange I8 when the sleeve I9 is movedrearwardly, see Fig. 2, I provide it with a ring 32 engageable with theshoulder 26 of the looking flange I8 so that the locking flange I8 ismoved with it to enable the elements 29 to be released and wedgedoutwardly so that the members I8 and I I may be pulled apart.

When the members I0 and II are to be interconnected, they may be pushedtogether. As the members I0 and I I are pushed together, the head I2forces the elements 29 outwardly to engage with and force rearwardly thelocking flange I8 until they may enter the head groove I4 to enable thelocking flange I8 to return under the action of the springs 21 and 28.This action followseven though the outer sleeve I9 is held in its firstposition, see Fig. 3, as the members II) and II' are pushed together,because the locking flange I8 may move rearwardly independently ofthe-outer sleeve I9;

Inuthe embodimentof my inventionshown in Fig. 5, the control means I:'I,while having the same'functions, isshown as having an inner'or lockingsleeve 33 having a slide 3 3 establishing the-inner'andioutershoulders25,-and'2fiv and'serving as a seat for the single spring 35 backed bythe stop, 38 on the'rnember I0. The. rear portion 3.1.of'the outersleeve 38is ofreduced diameter to have a; sliding fit on the stop- 36.

In each embodiment of the invention, theend portion of the head- I'Z-isshown as extending beyond: the endof the inner sleeve. This is notessential, but is preferred for such purposes-as compactness.

From the foregoing, it will beapparent that couplings made-in-accordancewith my invention are well adapted to give-satisfactory service in awidevariety ofuses since the'hand grip employed in unlockingandpulling'themembers apart may also be usedwwhen the members arepushedtogether to securely interconnectthem.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coupling comprising a first member including a head having a recessintermediate its ends, a second member including an annular portiondimensioned to receive said head within it, control means for saidcoupling, said control means being connected tosaid first member foraxial movement relative thereto and including an inner sleeve and anouter sleeve, said inner sleeve constituting a locking flange and beingdimensioned to receive said portion within it, a resilient connectionbetween saidmeansand said first member yieldably'maintaining saidlocking flange in an operative position and said outer sleeve in a firstposition, a detent element carried bysaid portion tobe'wedged-outwardlyandheld from a recess entering positionby, said head as it enterssaidportion and in its outward position being disposedto engage withsaid inner sleeveto forceit rearwardlyagainst theaction ofsaidconnection-assaid head is beinginserted in saidportion until saidelements may. enter said head recess, said connection then beingeffective to drive said locking flange into its operative position,,saidlocking flange being dimensioned to retain said element in said recessin its operative position, and means between said sleevesoperative toconnect them as a unit when said outer sleeve is moved rearwardly fromits first position to uncouple said'members andenabling said lockingflange to be moved from its loclringposition.=independently of.saidouter-sleeve whensaid outer sleeve is held in its first position as saidmembers are coupled together.

2. A coupling comprising a first member including a head having a recessintermediate its ends, a second member including an annular portiondimensioned to receive said head within it, control means for saidcoupling, said control means being connected to said first member foraxial movement relative thereto and including an inner sleeve slidablysupported by said first member and an outer sleeve, slidably supportedat least in part by said first sleeve, said inner sleeve constituting alocking flange and being dimensioned to receive said portion within it,a resilient connection between said means and said first memberyieldably maintaining said locking flange in an operative position andsaid outer sleeve in a first position, a detent element carried by saidportion to be wedged outwardly and held from a recess entering positionby said head as it enters said portion and in its outward position beingdisposed to engage with said inner sleeve to force it rearwardly againstthe action of said connection when said head is inserted in said portionuntil said element may enter said head recess, said connection thenbeing effective to drive said locking flange into its operativeposition, said locking flange being dimensioned to retain said elementin said recess in its operative position, and means between said sleevesoperative to connect them as a unit when said outer sleeve is movedrearwardly from its first position to uncouple said members and enablingsaid locking flange to be moved from its locking position independentlyof said outer sleeve when said outer sleeve is held in its firstposition as said members are coupled together.

3. A coupling comprising a first member including a head having a recessintermediate its ends and a pair of axially spaced stops rearwardly ofsaid head, a second member including an annular portion dimensioned toreceive said head within it, a first sleeve constituting a lockingflange dimensioned to receive said stops and said annular portion withinit and. including an internal and an external shoulder, said internalshoulder being located between said stops, a spring seated against therearmost stop and said internal shoulder yieldably urging it against theforemost stop, a second sleeve dimensioned to receive said first sleevewithin it and to be slidably supported by said external shoulder andincluding a rear end wall engageable with said rearmost stop to limitits forward position, a member engageable with said external shoulder tocause rearward movement of said first sleeve with said second sleeveonly when said second sleeve is moved rearwardly, and a detent elementcarried by said portion to be wedged outwardly by said head as it enterstherein and in said outward position being disposed to be engaged bysaid locking flange to force it rearwardly until said element may entersaid recess, said locking flange being dimensioned to receive within itsaid elements when they are seated in said recess.

4. The coupling of claim 3 in which a second spring is seated againstthe external shoulder of the first sleeve and the end wall of the secondsleeve.

5. A coupling comprising a first member including a head having a recessintermediate its ends and a pair of axially spaced stops rearwardly ofsaid head, a second member including a head receiving annular portion, afirst sleeve constituting a locking flange dimensioned to receive theforemost stop and said portion within it and including a slide portionestablishing an internal shoulder slidably engaging said first memberbetween said stops, a spring seated against the rearmost stop andengaging said internal shoulder to yieldably urge it against theforemost stop, a second sleeve including a first annular partdimensioned to be slidably supported by said external shoulder and asecond annular part dimensioned to be slidably supported by saidrearmost stop and including an end wall engageable therewith to limitthe forward position of said second sleeve, a member carried by saidsecond sleeve engageable with said external shoulder only when saidsecond sleeve is moved rearwardly and when said first sleeve is urgedforwardly by said spring, and a detent member carried by said annularportion to be wedged outwardly by said head as it enters therein and insaid outward position being disposed to be engaged by said lockingflange to force it rearwardly until said detent member may enter saidrecess, said locking flange being dimensioned to receive within it saiddetent member when seated in said groove.

No references cited.

